Airbnb has completely changed the way that people find accommodation when they are away on vacation. It’s so easy to find the perfect apartment for an affordable price without having to deal with hotels and travel agents. It’s also a great platform for people that want to get into real estate investing. If you can afford to invest in a second property, you could rent it out on a short-term basis through the site. It’s easy enough to find people to fill the property. This is because there are so many users on the site. However, there are some challenges that could affect your investment and cause you problems. These are some of the potential issues you should be aware of when using Airbnb to rent out an investment property.
Potential Issues of Airbnb
Legal Issues
Did you know that most places have laws about short-term rentals and, in some places, they are completely illegal? These laws are designed to make sure that there is enough housing available for full-time residents. However, Airbnb is not always on top of these laws. They may still allow you to rent out the property, even if it is not legal. This could cause you some serious potential issues of Airbnb. You should always check local regulations first before you do anything else.
Noise Complaints
A lot of people don’t like the idea of living next door to a short-term rental property. Some neighbors can cause you a lot of trouble. If you have noisy guests and there are a lot of complaints, your property may be taken down from AirBnB. You could also have legal trouble too. This is yet another of the potential issues of Airbnb.
It’s important that you know how to prevent Airbnb neighbor complaints about noise so you can avoid any potential issues of Airbnb. You should always be upfront with the neighbors and let them know that you will be renting the property out. Make sure that you screen guests properly too. Check their reviews to make sure that they are not likely to cause trouble.
Cancellation Fees
Cancellation fees for hosts are one of the potential issues of AirBnB. If you decide that you don’t want a certain guest to stay with you because they seem very demanding or you are concerned that they won’t treat the property well, it’s tough to cancel the booking without getting charged. In some cases, if you are sure that they are likely to break rules, you can cancel. However, you will have to provide clear evidence to AirBnB and that can be difficult.
Maintenance Issues
If there are maintenance issues like the hot water not working or appliances failing while somebody is staying, this is a huge problem. You have to cover the costs of fixing the problem. If it isn’t handled well, you could get bad reviews. Consider whether you are willing to be on call to deal with potential issues of Airbnb at all times. Especially when you have guests staying.
Airbnb can be an excellent platform for property investors, but there are a lot of potential challenges. Before you list your property, make sure that you have taken steps to deal with these problems.